Roll paper holder



Oct. 12, 1937. w, PQLLARD 2,095,419

ROLL PAPER HOLDER Eiled May 2, 1936 2 Sheets$heet l 14/ 71 17! Pollard Oct. 12, 1937. w. POLLARD 2,095,419

ROLL PAPER HOLDER Filed May 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qrwe/wbav Will/0m Pollard Patented a. 12, 1937 PATENT oFF cE ROLL PAPER HOLDER William Pollard, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Mark Levy, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 2, 1936, Serial No. 77,466

9 Claims.

Thisrinvention relates to a holder for paper rolls and relates more particularly to a device for holding a roll of toilet paper or. the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a roll paper holder which is especially applicable for use as a carrier for a roll of paper, such as toilet paper, and which is so constructed as to prevent removal from the holder of the roll of paper until the roll has been considerably diminished in its diameter so that the loss or theft of the roll from the holder is rendered difficult if not impossible at least until the roll has been nearly depleted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roll paper holder of the character mentioned that effectively protects and conceals the roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roll paper holder of the character mentioned embodying means for facilitating tearing or cutting pieces of paper from the roll.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paper roll holder of the character mentioned in which the roll may be very easily arranged in the holder and may be readily removed when materially reduced in diameter or exhausted.

With the foregoing objects in view together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear the invention is carried into effect as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of roll paper holder of the invention:

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical section of the paper holder shown in Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a View in vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal detailed section taken on the line t-d of Fig. 3:

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional view depicting the manner of applying a roll of paper to the holder:

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the roll as positioned in the holder and locked against removal therefrom:

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 depicting the manner of removing the paper roll core on depletion of the roll:

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention:

Fig. 9 is a vertical detailed sectional view of the device shown in Fig. 8:

Fig. 10 is a vertical detailed sectional view taken on the line lU-Hi of Fig. 9 showing the end wall of the holder in elevation as seen from the inner side thereof:

Referring to the drawings more specifically A indicates the roll paper housing of the device or holder. The housing A may be of any suitable construction. The housing A illustrated includes a back wall H, parallel side walls 52 and it, a front wall i4 and a top wall i5. In accordance with the invention the housing is open at its under side as indicated at it to permit the insertion of a paper roll B into the interior of the housing from the under side thereof as indicated in Fig. 5.

In carrying out the invention the side walls i2 and i3 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width or length of the paper roll B so as to provide only slight clearance or a close fit between the ends of the paper roll and the inner faces of the side walls i2 and i3.

The side walls l2 and 53 are each formed with a recess ll opening to the interior of the housing. An arm C is mounted on each side wall for movement into and out of its recess i'i. Each arm 0 may comprise a plate spring l8 afixed at one end to the housing side wall and projecting longitudinally across the mouth of the recess H and normally extending on a plane substantially parallel with the inner face of the housing side wall.

A bearing i9 is provided on the outer end of each spring l8. Each bearing i9 has a-curved or cylindrical periphery 2S and an inclined or beveled front face 2! inclining inwardly and up- 1 wardly from the lower margin of the bearing. The lower margins of the bearings iii are arranged substantially flush with the inner face of the adjacent sidewall, while the other portions of the bearings protrude from the recesses ii and project interiorally of the housing. The bearings I9 are opposed to each other and are so formed as to receive and support the ends of the tube D on which the paper on the roll B is wound toafford a pivotal support for the roll on which the latter may rotate in unwinding the paper therefrom.

An important feature of the invention resides in relating the top wall I5 of the housing and the peripheries of the bearings it on the arms C so that the outer periphery of a full paper roll B supported on the bearings will be in close proximity to the wall 55 whereby insufficient space will be afforded between the wall i5 and the paper roll to permit movement of the roll from the bearings thus looking or retaining the roll within the housing. In practice the distance between the axes of the bearings i9 and the wall i5 is proximate to and slightly greater than onehalf the diameter of a full paper roll B.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the springs l8 extend upwardly from the lower portions of the recesses ll with the side edges of their lower end portions engaged between crimps 23 formed in the side walls of the recesses ll. The outer walls of the recesses are indented as indicated at 24 to extend into openings 25 formed in the springs 98 to securely anchor the springs on the housing side walls l2 and It as particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The back wall H of the housing is provided with openings 21 suitably arranged for receiving screws or the like for attaching the housing to a suitable support, and the front of the housing is provided with openings 28 through which a tool or screw driver may be inserted for engaging the mounting screws.

Means is provided for facilitating the tearing off or cutting free of a length of paper from the roll B. The front wall M of the housing has a straight lower knife edge 29 and at each end thereof there is a depending shoulder 30. The shoulders 3i) serve to guide the depending strip M of the paper when an outward and lateral pull is applied thereto to cut or tear the paper along the edge 29.

In the operation of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the paper roll B is positioned within the housing A by passing the roll upwardly through the opening I6 at the under side of the housing and advancing the roll upwardly into the interior of the housing. The end portions of the roll engage the inclined faces 2! of the bearings l9, and in advancing along said faces act to retract or force the bearings into the recesses I! by flexing the springs N3 of the arms 0, as indicated in Fig. 5. In this fashion the upper end portions of the tubular core D are advanced past the upper surfaces of the bearings l9 so that the bearings urged inwardly by the springs I8 enter the open ends of the core D to engage the latter as shown in Fig. 6, thus affording an effective rotatable support for the paper roll D.

When the paper roll is thus positioned within the housing A the upper peripheral surface of the roll is contiguous to the top wall ll: of the housing, and the wall serves to limit upward movement of the roll within the housing. When the roll is engaged in the housing its removal is prevented since the bearings l9 and the wall !5 co-operate to retain the roll against being withdrawn from the housing until sufficient paper has been unwound from the roll to diminish its diameter to a dimension approximating the distance between the bearings and the wall l5. When the roll B has been sufiiciently depleted by removing all or nearly all the paper from its tubular core D, the latter may be removed by advancing it upwardly in the housing so that its ends move over the inclined faces of the bearings IQ thereby retracting the latter allowing the core to be moved into the space between the bearings and the top wall of the housing as shown in Fig. 7 and as indicated by the broken line (1 in Fig. 3. The core is then advanced downwardly at either side of the bearings I9 as indicated by the broken line e in Fig. 3, and thence withdrawn from the open lower end of the housing A.

It will be seen that by the construction set forth the paper roll B is dependably confined in the housing and held against removal until its diameter has been greatly decreased by unwinding the paper strip, thus minimizing the possibility of loss or theft of the roll.

By providing the shoulders 30 at the ends of the cutting edge 29 of the front wall of the housing the depending length of paper may be readily torn from the roll along the edge 29.

When it is desired to initially feed the paper from the roll the latter may be turned by grasping it with the fingers from the under side of the housing.

The form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 includes a housing A for containing a roll of paper. The housing A includes a front M, a top l5, a back H and spaced parallel sides l2 and I3. The top wall I5 is curved to conform, generally, to the upper portion of the paper roll and to gradually merge with the front M and back H. The bottom or lower end of the housing A is open to receive the roll of paper. Openings 2'! are provided in the back wall II to receive screws or the like for securing the housing on a support. Openings 28' may be provided in the front wall M to receive a screw driver or the like for turning the screws in the openings 27'. A depression or internal recess H is provided in each side wall [2 and E3. The recesses l1 extend downwardly from the upper portion of the side walls l2 and I3 and their lower parts are enlarged, as illustrated. A paper tearing or cutting edge 29 is provided at the lower end of the front I 4 and. shoulders 30' occur at the opposite ends of the edge 29 to guide the paper. a

The means for rotatably supporting a paper roll in the housing A includes flexible arms or springs l8 extending downwardly across the inner sides of the recesses IT. The upper ends of the springs I 8 may be secured to the walls l2 and I3 by welding at 26. Bearings l9 similar to the above described bearings [9 are fixed to the lower ends of the springs l8. The bearings l9 have cylindrically curved peripheries 20' and downwardly and outwardly inclined inner surfaces 2|. The springs l8 and the bearings H! are depressible or retractable into the recesses ll by the ends of a paper roll engaging against the surfaces 2| when the roll is passed upwardly in the housing A. The springs l8 and bearings l9 constitute arms C having the same functions as the arms C described above. The holder illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 has the same mode of operation as the previously described embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a roll paper holder, a pair of bearings supported for movement toward and away from each other and adapted to enter the ends of a paper roll to support the same, said bearings having inclined faces against which the end portions of the paper roll may engage to retract the bearings when the roll is moved in one direction and having surfaces preventing movement of the roll in all other directions except about its axis, and means related to said bearings to limit movement of the roll relative to the bearings in said direction to prevent said engagement of the roll with said inclined faces until the diameter; of the roll is materially reduced.

2. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for the roll having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and retractable bearings in the housing adapted to enter the ends of the roll to support the same, said bearings having surfaces cooperable with the interior of the roll to prevent outward movement of the roll toward said opening, and having surfaces engageable by the ends of the roll to effect retraction of the bearings from the roll when the roll is moved inwardly in the housing, the roll being confined in the housing so that said inward movement of the roll to retract the bearings is prevented, until the roll is substantially reduced in diameter.

3. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for the roll having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including a retractable bearing in the housing adapted to enteran end of theroll, the bearing having a surface for contacting the interior of the roll to prevent outward movement of the roll toward said opening and having a surface engageable by the end of the roll to effect retraction of the bearing from the roll when the roll is moved inwardly away from said opening, the roll being confined in the'housing so that said inward movement of the roll to retract the bearing from the roll is prevented until the roll is substantially reduced in diameter.

4. A device for holding a roll of paper ineluding, a housing for the roll having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including a retractable bearing in the housing adapted to enter an end of the roll, the bearing having a surface extending substantially axially of the roll for contacting the interior of the roll to prevent outward movement of the 'roll toward said opening and having an inclined surface en.- gageable by the end of the roll to effect retraction of the hearing from the roll when the roll is moved inwardly away from said opening, the roll being confined in the housing so that said inward movement of the roll to retract the bearing from the roll is prevented until the roll is substantially reduced in diameter.

5. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for the roll having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including a bearing having a surface for cooperating with the interior of the roll to support the roll against outwardmovement toward said opening, and an inclined surface engageable by an end of the roll when the roll is moved inwardly in the housing, and a spring member supporting the bearing in the housing and urging the bearing into the end of the roll and yieldable to allow retraction of the bearing from the roll when inward movement of roll brings its end into cooperation with said inclined surface, the roll being confined in the housing against such inward movement when supported on said bearing until the roll is materially reduced in diameter.

6. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for the roll having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including a bearing having a surface for cooperating with the interior of the roll to support the roll against outward movement toward said opening, and an inclined surface engageable by an end of the roll when the roll is moved inwardly in the housing, and a spring member supporting the bearing in the housing and urging the bearing into the end of the roll and yieldable to allow retraction of the bearing from the roll when inward movement of the roll brings its end into cooperation with said inclined surface, the housing including a wall confining the roll against such inward movement to retract the bearing until the roll is materially reduced in diameter. 7. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for containing the roll and having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including flexible arms in the housing, and roll supporting bearings on the arms for entering the ends of the roll, the bearings having surfaces for cooperating with the interior of the roll to support the roll against outward movement toward said openings and having inclined surfaces engageable by the ends of the roll when "the roll is introduced in the housing to effect retraction of the hearing so the flexible arms may move the bearings into the roll when the roll is properly positioned, the roll being confined in the housing against further inward movement until materially reduced in diameter.

8. A device for holding a roll of paper includ- I ing, a housing for containing the roll and having an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including flexible arms in the housing, and roll supporting bearings on the arms for entering the ends of the roll, the bearings having surfaces for cooperating with the intericr of the roll to support the roll against outward movement toward said opening and having inclined surfaces engageable by the ends of the roll when the roll is introduced in the housing to effect retraction of the bearings so the flexible arms may move the bearings into the roll when the roll is properly positioned, the housing having internal recesses for receiving the bearings when thus retracted and including a wall part preventing further inward movement to retract the bearings until the roll is substantially reduced in diameter.

Q. A device for holding a roll of paper including, a housing for containing the roll and hav-' ing an opening through which the roll may be inserted, and means for supporting the roll in the housing including flexible arms inthe housing,and roll supporting bearings on the arms for entering the ends of the roll, the bearings having surfaces for cooperating with the interior of the roll to support the roll against outward movement toward said opening and having inclined surfaces engageable by the ends of the roll when the roll is introduced in the housing to effect retraction of the hearing so the flexible arms may move the bearings into the roll when the roll is properly positioned, the housing including a wall part confining the roll against further inward move ment to retract the bearings until the roll is materially reduced in diameter, said wall part being spaced from the axis of said bearings a distance slightly greater than one half the diameter of the full paper roll.

WHILIAM POLLARD. 

